Mountain Insights

What is wrong?

2012-09-01T17:52:00.000-04:00

I haven't written in a while because there is just to much in this world going on. I can't keep up. It has just been so overwhelming. There is just no way one person can make sense of all this mess.

I have been keeping up with all that has been going on with politics and hoping that we all make the right decision when it comes to election day. I hope that just because you don't like either candidate that you stay home and not cast your vote. This election is so critical to everyone. Not only for the older Americans, but, for the generation that is coming up. So, I hope that everyone puts their feelings of like or dislike aside and vote for the one who they think will do the best job for the future of our country.

I have watched how dirty not only the politicians have gotten, but, the news media and social networks. It made me wonder how we got to the point that if you don't agree with someone's political view then you are a racist, etc. The name calling and reports of threats is just out of control.

It made me question, has our government caused this? Have we caused this? Or, is it a combination of both? Personally the division we are seeing in this country, I believe is Both. Some of us were raised to believe in our government and what they told us. After all, it is their job to look after us. We were told and we believed. We did not question. Maybe we should have. Maybe we should now.

Where our country is headed right now is not a good place. Our freedoms and liberties have been slowly taken away from us for years by both parties. Now our entire way of life is being threatened. I have seen so many people being attacked verbally, and sometimes even physically for speaking their opinions. Why can't we just respect each others opinions and even give them some consideration? Maybe they are right in their beliefs and maybe we are wrong. Maybe, there is a place in the middle. With all the attacks on someone speaking their opinions, what are we teaching our children? Are we teaching them to be bullies, because someone doesn't agree with their beliefs?

We are all passionate about our beliefs, but, we should all respect each other and not disrespect someone for their beliefs or their thoughts. A lot of us have done that, including me, and it really needs to stop.

When Clint Eastwood spoke at the RNC National Convention and said "I would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen. Something that I think is very important. It is that, you, we -- we own this country. We -- we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours." He was spot on. I think some of us have forgotten that.

Revelations

2012-03-08T20:11:00.000-05:00

Six days, ago a tornado came though our little town. That experience has taught me a few things and reminded me of some things as well. It was amazing to see the response from the power company, phone company, cable company, etc. Why was this amazing to me? We live in a very rural area and the response time, is well, a little slow to react.

The response from our volunteer First Responders, Firefighters, and Police, as well as those that came in from another county was spectacular. People were not left wondering in the streets for long, before help arrived.

It has been amazing to hear and see all the caring, love, and support that was almost immediate. Small children even helped. It reminded me of when I was a child. Everyone pulled together in times of need. It didn't matter who you were, when you needed help, or what kind of help. Someone was always there. Nowadays, most of us don't know even what our neighbors look like, much less know them. To me that is sad.

Something we all need to remember, is that, when we hear something terrible happens to someone else, it can happen to us. All of us need a little help once in a while. It is never easy to go it alone.

In the little town that I live in, we depend on each other. When an emergency happens, we pull together. We should be like that all the time. Not just in cases of disasters. So be kind to each other and be kind to strangers. Not everyone is bad or evil. Those people do exist, and we should always be careful.

This is a great country. We should never forget that. Nor should we forget how we got to be a great country. Let's not take advantage of what others have fought and died for in order for us to enjoy our lives today. The fight for our country is a great thing to fight for. The fight should never end.

My idea of a stimulus package

2012-02-07T18:13:00.000-05:00

Give every legal American citizen 1 million dollars. That includes children. I would exclude anyone making 1 million dollars or more.

What does this accomplish? Redistribution of wealth? In a way, yes. We have paid taxes for years and our parents have paid taxes for years and look at how it has been spent. In my opinion it would be more like a refund than redistributing wealth.

The benefits. We would be able to pay off bills, homes, cars, etc., or invest. That would help the banks with a flood of money. Banks improved.

Mortgages would be either paid off or reduced drastically. People who have lost their homes would be able to buy a new home. Housing market improved.

With the influx of money, more people would be spending and jobs would need to be filled in order to fill the products and needs of those who received the money, Job problem solved.

People may even want to start their own business. Capitalism restored.

Why children? Money could be put up for their college or whatever they need when they reach the age of adulthood. College tuition paid.

Now with all this, there would be no need for food stamps and welfare. This would cause these programs to either be eliminated or "tweaked" for those who really need it. This would also allow Social Security to be fixed. No one who received this payout would be eligible for any government help for a minimum of 10 years.

Now this would be a one time deal. All welfare, food stamps, and yes even Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid would stop for a period of at least 10 years. Why would you need any of these programs if you had 1 million dollars in your hands? So, you would have to be responsible or deal with the consequences of no government help.

This would be tax free. How do we pay for it? All the politicians would contribute.

More control

2012-02-06T14:17:00.000-05:00

I should not be surprised by this, but, it amazes me how much the battle for gun control is just outrageous. Instead of punishing the government officials who were involved in the "Fast and Furious", our politicians just won't give up on trying to get guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens. In this article: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Sunday the shooting of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords should have sparked a national dialogue about gun laws.

I am so tired of our politicians blaming everyone but themselves for the mess our country is in. Yes, we are ALL to blame for this mess. Our previous politicians have tried to brainwash us into thinking that whatever they do, they do for our "children", our "safety", and for our "best interest". We sat back and let it all happen. We have been so busy with ourselves, our children, and even sports to pay attention to what is going on around us as well as what has happened to us in the past.

Our Constitution, our Rights, our freedoms, and our beliefs are being attacked on a daily basis. For centuries we have fought for our freedoms and our rights. Now all that is being attacked and our freedoms have slowly been taken away from us as well as our rights. Why have we allowed this to happen? Have we forgotten all those men and women who fought and died for us to have what we have today, be for nothing?

I hear on a daily basis "There's nothing we can do about it". That is just wrong. Even though we may not be able to, or want to go into battle, but, will allow others to do the work for us, doesn't mean that we can't do anything about it. We should educate ourselves and get involved with the political process and vote out those that have trampled over our Constitution, our rights, and our freedoms. It is up to us, and only us, to fix this country. We can no longer "trust" our government to take care of us. That is how we got here to begin with. Why should we keep asking the politicians to fix things when they only make matters worse?

Presidential Candidates

2012-02-05T13:52:00.000-05:00

I took some time off to change out my computers and during that time I debated on whether or not to continue to blog. There is just so much going on with this country and this "President" as well as with all the candidates that are running against Obama.

I have watched sooo many debates and listened carefully to what each candidate had to say. I have listened to all the accusations and all the candidates pointing fingers at one another. I have watched the news media swoon over Mitt Romney.

Here is my take on the GOP candidates. Let's take Ron Paul. I like Ron Paul. He is a real Constitutionalist. He represents the meaning and the ideas of the Constitution and the purpose that it was designed for.

Rick Santorum, I'm not real sure about. He sounds good and he seems to have a good record and appears to want to do the right thing for the country. I'm still doing research on him.

Newt Gringrich. Now, he understands what is happening with this country better than anyone else. He understands the dangers of George Soros and the teachings of Saul Alinsky. Both of these are playing a huge role in what is happening with the destruction of our country.

Mitt Romney. Not only is he responsible for the Romney care in Massachusetts, but, he also has some connection to the teachings of Saul Alinsky. Mitt Romney's father liked Saul Alinsky and his ideas. George Soros has also came out and said that there is little difference between Obama and Romney. He has also flipped flopped more than any other candidate. He also speaks of being an "Washington Outsider" and believes that is what we need to turn this country around. Well, wasn't Obama a "Washington Outsider" when he ran for President. How is that working out for you?

This is one of the most important decisions we have to make in our lifetime. Not only this election but, the elections to follow if we want to keep our country strong and safe, not only for ourselves, but, for our children and their children. Instead of all the negative accusations that are being thrown out there on each of the candidates, not only by the candidates themselves, but, the obvious push by the media as to who we should choose for President, we should do our own research and pick the candidate that best suites the needs of our country in order to begin the restoration of our beloved country and our individual rights.

"Occupiers" out of control?

2011-11-22T13:55:00.001-05:00

I'm not surprised with all those involved with the Occupy movement that eventually things could very easily get out of control. The question is when or has it already? There are people involved with this movement who have been waiting on this for a long time. Some want to tear this country apart and put in a new government. What kind of government is a good question. Needless to say the government they want will not be good for everyone.

According to this article:

Widely known as Occupy Wall Street, the movement has gained momentum with mass, often violent protests that have paralyzed cities across the nation. In New York more than 150 people were arrested and several police officers suffered injuries. In Oakland California police were forced to use riot gear and tear gas to disperse the huge, violent crowds and in Las Vegas nearly two dozen protesters were arrested.

Leading the campaign is President Obama’s good friend, civil rights lawyer Van Jones, the highly-touted “Green Czar” who was booted amid controversy over his radical history. A Yale Law School grad, Jones became a communist after the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles and says he loathes capitalism because it exploits nonwhite minorities worldwide. Jones is a committed Marxist-Leninist-Maoist who became a revolutionary after meeting “young radical people of color” in jail and views police officers as the arch enemies of black people.

If that isn't disturbing enough, according to this article:

Not only is Barack Obama‘s terrorist buddy Bill Ayers teaching revolutionary theory at Occupy Chicago… His former terrorist group the Weather Underground has joined up with the #Occupy Oakland movement in California.

It is very disturbing at what the "occupiers" are getting away with. If this were the "Tea Party", they would all be in jail. According to this article: "Occupy Oakland Hosts Gay Porn Movie Shoot". Enough said.

Now according to this article:

Los Angeles officials have offered Occupy L.A. protesters a package of incentives that includes downtown office space and farmland in an attempt to persuade them to abandon their camp outside of City Hall, according to several demonstrators who have been in negotiations with the city.

Now the "Occupiers" are wanting to boycott Black Friday". Don't they know that this will only hurt the 99% they claim to represent, who have jobs at these businesses. Do they really think this will hurt the "1 %"? According to this website:

Below is a shortlist for publicly traded large businesses to Occupy or to boycott on Black Friday. Luckily, most of them don't have good presents anyway. If you want to see the top 100 retail businesses for 2010 to boycott, click here.

The future of our children

2011-11-21T12:51:00.001-05:00

Nothing about this government surprises me anymore. Now Nancy Pelosi wants control of our children. Is this a big surprise to any of us? Our government is determined to control every aspect of our lives, ~~including~~ especially our children.

In this article:

“One of the great pieces of unfinished business is high-quality child care; I wonder why we just can’t do that,’’ Pelosi said. Her spokesman Drew Hammill said later that she doesn’t have a specific child-care proposal at the ready; that’s what the legislative process is for. But the Nixon-era legislation of which she spoke approvingly subsidized child care for low-income parents and was available to anyone who wanted to pay for it. “She sees this as the next big problem to tackle,’’ Hammill said.

What about our schools? According to this article:

On a mission to narrow the academic achievement gap between minorities and whites, the Obama Administration has ordered the nation’s second-largest public school district to cut back on disciplining black students and develop a special curriculum for those who don’t speak English.

In this article:

Students, tests and cash were the perfect variables to fatten high school math teacher Jeff Spires’ wallet, officials said, but administrators pulled the plug on him after several students brought his alleged pay-for-grades scheme to their attention.

And in this article:

A student at Western Nevada College has filed a sexual harassment claim against the school, citing her experiences in Tom Kubistant’s Human Sexuality class. The student, Karen Royce, alleged that Kubistant instructed students to masturbate twice as often and keep detailed accounts of their sexual lives. According to The Arizona Republic:

Now in this article:

The Obama administration dedicated at least $18 million to convince Kenyans to ratify the new constitution, which expanded women’s legal right to an abortion. Although a 1981 law known as the Siljander Amendment specifically states “none of the funds made available under this Act may be used to lobby for or against abortion,” one recipient of U.S. aid pressed the issue anyway.

Now, the way I see it, if the government got out of the way and took less of our money that we work so hard for and let us keep it, we would have the time to look at these things and stop it before it happens. Our government always uses our children as a tool to get what they want and then this is how they "help the children". Parents need to be as active as possilbe in what the schools are teaching our children. What will be next? Take our children away right after birth?

What will tomorrow bring

2011-11-16T13:05:00.001-05:00

According to reports, Occupy Wall Street protesters plan an event tomorrow to shut down the city. According to the video in this article:

In a rant that appears to have been captured after Tuesday’s Zuccotti park eviction in New York City, a man in the middle of the angry protesters reveals his idea of what’s next for the movement: “we’re going to burn this shi* to the motherfu**ing ground on the 17th!”

If it weren't enough that the protesters are planning this, SEIU is also planning to help out. According to this article:

The SEIU is planning a “Bridge Action Day” for Obama.The overpaid government union goons will shut down traffic on US bridges and harass US workers going to work on Thursday morning.

According to this article:

One of the boldest labor thugs in America today is Stephen Lerner, a crafty economic terrorist who manages to sound like a folksy self-improvement seminar leader while he explicitly calls for the overthrow of capitalism.

An SEIU board member, Lerner is one of the architects of a subversive plan that aims to destroy the nation’s financial system through intimidation, mass protests, and the mob violence that accompanies it. As part of it, Lerner targeted JPMorgan Chase for attack earlier this year because the bank would be “a really good company to hate.”

What can we expect? Maybe it will be a non-violent event. I hope so. With the history of the violence that has already occurred in many places with this "movement" and with the support of SEIU, I have my doubts it will be peaceful. We will have to wait and see.

Did you know?

2011-11-15T14:39:00.001-05:00

Which is better, big government or smaller government? That is a question many have asked. I have stated before that the bigger the government is, the harder it is for us to know what is going on with our government and our money. As citizens, the bigger the government is, the more they can pass through with new laws or spending projects. I admit that I am a small government person. Here is why. Did you know:

HUD has given $730,000 to ACORN

President Obama has given ACORN $729,849 so far this year and billions more in federal cash may be in the pipeline.
The president’s new economic stimulus package, the so-called “jobs bill,” contains as much as $15 billion for radical left-wing groups such as ACORN (his former employer). Obama has been using his presidential bully pulpit to demand that Republicans in Congress “pass this bill,” even though there is no bill yet. Despite all the rhetoric, the proposed “American Jobs Act of 2011” apparently hasn’t even been introduced in Congress.

$443 Million for a smallpox drug

Over the last year, the Obama administration has aggressively pushed a $433-million plan to buy an experimental smallpox drug, despite uncertainty over whether it is needed or will work.

$750,000 to virtually deserted airport

The St. Cloud Regional Airport is banking on a recently announced $750,000 federal grant to land an airline at the airport that’s been virtually deserted since Delta terminated service in and out of St. Cloud in late 2009. Despite a $5 million makeover of the terminal two years ago, St. Cloud’s airport has mostly sat idle as the city desperately seeks new commercial airline partners. St. Cloud received $750,000 in federal stimulus funding to assist with a portion of the renovation, but the project has thus far amounted to a passenger boarding bridge to nowhere.

$7 Million paid to foreign workers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A federal investigation found that at least $7 million in federal stimulus money intended to provide jobs for unemployed Oregonians instead paid wages to 254 foreign workers.

These are just a few. I know what I would do if that money was in my pocket. Talk about stimulating the economy.

Political Corruption

2011-11-14T12:57:00.001-05:00

Usually I don't watch 60 Minutes, but, last night I did. It was no real surprise to me that it showed how corrupt many of our politicians are. I don't even find it shocking that our politicians don't have to play by the same rules as everyone else. It's no wonder people want to be a politician. Talk about Greedy. This is a prime reason why we need to be more aware and active in the political process. I get tired of hearing the argument that "we can't do anything about it." That just is not true.

According to this article, based on the show last night:

Washington, D.C. is a town that runs on inside information - but should our elected officials be able to use that information to pad their own pockets? As Steve Kroft reports, members of Congress and their aides have regular access to powerful political intelligence, and many have made well-timed stock market trades in the very industries they regulate. For now, the practice is perfectly legal, but some say it's time for the law to change.

According to this article, it list the 50 richest members of Congress. I have to wonder about the Senators as well.

Now what can be done about this? Some Lawmakers are really trying to stop this from happening and have been since 2006. According to this article:

Two House Democrats are pushing legislation that would prohibit lawmakers and federal employees from profiting from non-public information they obtain in their jobs official positions while requiring greater oversight.

You can read the entire bill here.

Now for the question, What can I do? It is real simple. Contact you members of Congress here, and your Senators here. Let them know how you feel about passing this bill and let them know that you will be watching. Let your voice be heard by informing your Politician that you are watching and you will vote them out and get someone who will listen to the people. We still have a voice in this country and we should be heard. If we want our country back we must be heard and do not give up or give in.

Christianity vs Islam

2011-11-13T12:10:00.001-05:00

I read this story and thought about how strange it is that we hear Islam is a loving religion, but, yet they are attacking Christianity. They say that Islam is a tolerant religion. Really? They even have their own organization in which the Muslims can report anything that goes against them. I do believe that there are good Muslims and there are bad Muslims, just like any religion including Christianity.

C.A.I.R is the Council on American-Islamic Relations. According to their website:

Since its establishment in 1994, CAIR has worked to promote a positive image of Islam and Muslims in America. Through media relations, government relations, education and advocacy, CAIR puts forth an Islamic perspective to ensure the Muslim voice is represented. In offering this perspective, CAIR seeks to empower the American Muslim community and encourage their participation in political and social activism.

CAIR's Governmental Affairs Department conducts and organizes lobbying efforts on issues related to Islam and Muslims. The department is active in monitoring legislation and government activities and then, responding on behalf of the American Muslim community. CAIR representatives have testified before Congress and have sponsored a number of activities designed to bring Muslim concerns to Capitol Hill.

Let's take a look at tolerance. According to Dictionary.com: tolerance is:

a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own; freedom from bigotry.

According to this article:

The Tennessee church that gave a platform earlier this year to the Dutch politician who was barred from the U.K. for his view of Islam found itself in crosshairs once again when a conference billing itself as America's first on countering the rise of Shariah was forced to find a new venue after threats of violence from Muslims caused its host hotel to cancel.

And this article:

The Michigan chapter of a Muslim-rights organization is concerned that an upcoming Christian prayer event, TheCall in Detroit, might result in some Christians going to local mosques to “harass or provoke” Muslim worshipers. As a precaution, the director of the group has advised Muslim houses of worship to beef up their security.

Now let's take a look at what is happening in here:

SUNRISE—

Disturbed by the prospect of lambs and goats being slaughtered in her city, Sunrise Commissioner Sheila Alu single-handedly blocked a Muslim religious ceremony set to take place on Sunday.

The meat is sacrificed according to state and Islamic law," Hamze said. "There is no bloodbath. It's very humane. It's a slit on the throat real quick. And they bleed out in a couple seconds. The animals do not suffer."

I have mentioned this before in this post. As in our history, it is not unusual for us to be questioning the intentions of people and religions we are not familiar with. It happened to the Germans, Vietnamese, Japanese, and other cultures that have come to our country. As we have understood more about them, the more we have became more comfortable.

We can ALL learn from being tolerant, including those that ask for it. There must be an understanding that as with them, we are also sceptical of the intentions of their religion, just as they are with Christianity or any other religion.

Protecting our children

2011-11-11T13:05:00.001-05:00

I wanted to write this blog ever since the story broke on the accusation of abuse at the hands of Jerry Sandusky. While doing my research for this, I got more and more disturbed by what I found. I ran across an article, written by Wayne Allyn Root I hope you will take the time to read. "What the Joe Paterno scandal and the Penn State riots say about America"

It is very sad when you read the Grand Jury's findings, that many people knew of the abuse of these young children and nothing was done to stop it. They were CHILDREN for goodness sakes. It makes me wonder if we are doing enough to teach our children that it is NOT alright to be touched inappropriately. It is NOT ok to feel uncomfortable around someone and not tell someone immediately. Today with so many children having cell phones, children should be encouraged to call someone if they are uncomfortable and want to leave. What happened to these Children is not their fault, it is the fault of those who did nothing.

What is happening here? For years we have seen and heard reports of parents getting violent at sports games when they feel as though their child is being treated unfairly by the coach or the call of a referee. Why do we allow sports to become that important in our lives. So much so, that in this case, nothing was done because of the 800 games won by the coach, who, also makes, according to this article, in 2009:

Penn State coach Joe Paterno is a millionaire. Records released Friday by the university show the 82-year-old Hall of Famer is Penn State's highest-paid employee, making more than $1.03 million last year.

Could it be that, according to this article:

According to a report by Forbes the Nittany Lions generated $70.2 million in revenue this past season and posted a profit of $50.4 million, more than any Big Ten school in both categories. Only Alabama and Georgia had higher totals in football revenue and profit than Penn State when comparing the Big Ten and SEC to each other.

Are sports so important that, according to this article:

Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary will miss Saturday's game against Nebraska after the school said he received "multiple threats."

McQueary testified in a grand jury investigation that eventually led to child sex-abuse charges being filed against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. The ensuing scandal brought down longtime coach Joe Paterno, who was fired by the university on Wednesday amid growing criticism that he should have done more to stop the alleged abuse.

I know that I may anger some, but, this story and the affects on the lives of these, now, young men angers me. These young men will have to live with this for the rest of their lives. It is unfair to them, they did nothing wrong. I hope that reading the Grand Jury findings I posted earlier will help in teaching ourselves and our children that what happened here is not ok. We need to protect our children and make sure that if something isn't right, report it. Don't be afraid. You may just save the torment that a child will go through by stepping up and making sure that situations like this does not occur and if it does, you have the power to stop it.

I have great respect for Mike McQueary. He stepped up and spoke out. He possibly stopped many more children from being abused by Jerry Sandusky. I applaud him for standing up for what is right. He should not be the one receiving death threats. No one should. At least he had the courage to do what was right.

My hope and prayer is that these young men realize that they will survive this. They can make a difference. It will be a long road for them, but, I hope they know that many people stand with them and support them, even if we don't know them.

Unions right or wrong for the U.S.

2011-11-10T13:14:00.001-05:00

I have written about the unions before. I will say once again, that I am sure there are some things good about belonging to a union. I have also stated that I believe the union leaders are out to put more money in their pockets than in the pockets of the union members.

Here, I will put some articles to understand better who the unions really look out for. In this article:

All it took to give nearly two dozen labor leaders from Chicago a windfall worth millions was a few tweaks to a handful of sentences in the state's lengthy pension code.

Twenty years later, 23 retired union officials from Chicago stand to collect about $56 million from two ailing city pension funds thanks to the changes, a Tribune/WGN-TV investigation found.

Because the law bases the city pensions on the labor leaders' union salaries, they are reaping retirement benefits that far outstrip the modest salaries they made as city employees. On average, their pensions are nearly three times higher than what the typical retired city worker receives.

Remember the Boeing Plant being attacked by the National Labor Relations Board? According to Wikipedia:

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of protected concerted activity. The NLRB is governed by a five-person board and a General Counsel, all of whom are appointed by the President with the consent of the Senate.

Now reports have come out about the NLRB and their decision to fight the Boeing plant. According to this article, on April 22, 2011:

Acting NLRB General Counsel Lafe Solomon sent an email to Wilma Liebman, outgoing Chairwoman of the NLRB, “The article gave me a new idea. You go to geneva [Switzerland] and I get a job with airbus [French company]. We screwed up the us economy and now we can tackle europe.”

Last year, President Obama bypassed the U.S. Senate and recess-appointed Craig Becker to head the NLRB’s five-member board. The Becker appointment was made after the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate refused to move forward on his confirmation. An ally of ACORN, Becker had previously worked for the SEIU and the AFL-CIO, major financial backers of Obama and the Democratic Party. Controversially, Becker has refused to recuse himself from certain NLRB decisions affecting his former union clients.

According to this article:

The new Obama DOL Union Officer and Employee Conflicts-of-Interest Disclosure Reports will no longer require disclosure of:

Salary payments by employers to union officials who do absolutely no work for the employer except grease the skids in “grievance adjustments”;

Bonuses and raises paid by employers to union officials who do absolutely no work for the employer;

Promotions by employers to union officials who do absolutely no work for the employer;

Director stipends of $20,000 or more to union officials for attending annual or quarterly labor-management conferences often held at a lush resorts;

Labor union presidents’ spouses who receive payments of $250,000 a year from a HERE union pension trust will no longer be required to disclose it because Obama’s DOL believes that congress was uninterested in these types of conflicts.

Have you ever heard of the National Mediation Board? Well, according to this article:

This board is specifically focused on labor relations between the railroad and airline industries. And just like the NLRB, the NMB is aggressively pushing Big Labor’s agenda. Last July, the NMB overturned nearly a century of precedent and issued a new pro-union rule regarding union elections. Instead of requiring the traditional democratic practice of a simple majority of members to unionize, now the rules only require a majority of votes cast for unionization.

So, what is next? Do we want the Unions taking control of all the jobs in this country? Do we want to be forced into joining a union in order to get a job? Do we want to be like this family who is forced to pay Union Dues to take care of their disabled children? Here is the story.

One lies, one tells the truth

2011-11-09T11:44:00.000-05:00

I find it amazing that a Politician finally tells the truth and people don't want to listen. It is one of the biggest complaints we have. Politicians don't tell the truth, now we have one. My hat is off to Joe Walsh for standing up and telling the truth.

According to this article, video included:

"I don't want government meddling in the marketplace," Walsh said. "Yeah, they move from Goldman Sachs to the White House, I understand all of that. But you gotta’ be consistent. And it’s not the private marketplace that created this mess. What created mess was your government, which has demanded for years that everybody be in a home. And we’ve made it easy as possible for people to be in homes."

To back up his claim that the government is the problem not the solution to our problems is this article:

Fannie Mae, the biggest source of money for U.S. home loans, on Tuesday said it needed a further $7.8 billion in federal aid to stay afloat as a shaky housing market widened its third-quarter loss to $5.1 billion.

Given the crucial role the two play in U.S. housing finance, owning or guaranteeing about half of all mortgages, the government has pledged unlimited funds to keep the firms afloat through the end of 2012. Combined, they have cost taxpayers around $169 billion.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were created by Congress to encourage homeownership. They buy mortgages from lenders and repackage them as securities for investors, with a guarantee, to ensure a steady source of home loan funds.

Now to Eric Holder. It is just my opinion, based on all that I have seen and read, this man is either incompetent or is lying. According to this article,

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday claimed that he never received any of the memos about Operation "Fast and Furious," that were sent to him dating back to July 2010

Under grilling from Sen. John Cornyn during his Senate Judiciary committee testimony, Holder claimed that though the memos had his name on them, he never received them because his staff made the determination that they did not warrent his attention

I would think that with that many guns going to Mexico and that big of an operation he should have known about it. How could he not know?

To add insult to injury, Holder stated:

"It's not fair to suggest" the Fast and Furious program "led to the death of Agent Terry."

In this article,

In addition to refusing to come clean on exactly when he first knew of Fast and Furious (and what he knew), Holder also had the gall to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that the real issue they needed to focus on was “the battle to stop the flow of illegal guns to Mexico.” In other words, what we should be focusing on here is the need for gun control in order to keep the Southern border safe. To that end, Holder said the ATF should receive increased powers via the increased “resources and statutory tools it needs to be effective.”

I disagree with Holder on the need for more gun control. I believe that everyone who lives on the border should be allowed to own a gun, if they wish, in order to protect themselves, their families and their property. Our Federal government refuses to see the problem, so it is up to the citizens to do what the government won't do if they choose to. Instead of fighting the states that are trying to do what the government refuses to do, our government should enforce the laws they put in place.

The price for Occupy Wall Street

2011-11-05T12:02:00.000-04:00

When the protesters began to occupy Wall Street, it was a given to anyone who had any common sense that it would end up costing the citizens money. How much was the question. In this article, the price tag so far is now $9,111,487. How much more will it go up depends on the politicians that are in charge. How long will they be willing to put upstanding, law abiding citizens at risk? With the amount of police presence to keep the protesters from breaking the law, it takes away protection from those who abide by the law. I'm not saying the protesters shouldn't protest if they feel as strongly as they do, but, do not put other peoples lives in jeopardy because of it, don't destroy other peoples property or try to prevent them from making a living.

The woman in this video, whom is wheelchair bound and works for a living, talks about the protestors preventing her from leaving the building.

And in this video, children are being used as human shields. This is just going to far. If you want to protest, go for it, just don't place your children in harms way.

How long will this go on? It's hard to say. If those that believe in civil unrest and are not afraid of being arrested, it may be a while. Are we heading for riots like we see going on in other countries. That is a possibilty we cannot afford to dismiss. According to this article: United Steelworkers international president Leo Gerard states:

I think we've got to start a resistance movement. If Wall Street occupation doesn't get the message, I think we've got to start blocking bridges and doing that kind of stuff. This doesn't have to be this way. The economy doesn't have to be this way. It's being put this way because the Wall Streeters are getting their way.

According to this article, dates October 6:

Several influential New York state lawmakers have received threatening mails saying it is “time to kill the wealthy” if they don’t renew the state’s tax surcharge on millionaires, according to reports.

“It’s time to tax the millionaires!” reads the email, according to WTEN in Albany. “If you don’t, I’m going to pay a visit with my carbine to one of those tech companies you are so proud of and shoot every spoiled Ivy League [expletive] I can find.”

Instead of threats, maybe they should contact their Senators and Congress on the wasteful spending of our money. If our government stops spending money like these then maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

US bankrolls Pakistani sesame steet

Tax dollars being spent on rubber chickens

or:

State Department buys $70,000 worth Obama memoir books

Al Gore's wish comes true with protesters

2011-11-03T12:11:00.000-04:00

Not long ago, I wrote about Al Gore calling for an American Spring, Well, it appears that Al Gore's request is coming true. Of course, it should be no surprise that this would happen in California. As some articles I have read call the protesters "useful idiots", I have to agree. Apparently they do not understand that their actions costs all of us, including them. We all have to pay for the damages they cause, as well as the shut down of business and transportation.

According to this article,

The confrontation began after protesters started a large bonfire in the middle of a downtown street. Dozens of police in riot gear moved in on hundreds of protesters as the flames leapt more than 15 feet in the air from several large metal and plastic trash bins that had been pushed together.

According to this article,

Before the rioting on Wednesday Occupy Oakland goons were handing out this flier to fellow protesters calling for violence.
“Are you a pacifist?”

It is just my opinion, but, I think these protesters should be protesting things like:
Over $760,000 Stimulus Funds Go To Interactive Visual Dance
$1.5 Mil To Promote Collective Bargaining In Vietnam
or this .... just to name a few,
Stimulus Funds paid foreign workers in Oregon

Rapes, Robberies, even Murder at Occupy Wall Street?

2011-11-01T12:31:00.000-04:00

Many reports circulating the Internet are coming out about Rapes, Robberies and even the possibility of a murder occurring at the different "occupations". According to this video, a woman claims she was raped and is asking that the protests be shut down. According to this article,

A 14-year-old runaway was allegedly sexually assaulted at Occupy Dallas.

A 19-year-old student activist was allegedly raped at Occupy Cleveland.

A man was arrested on charges of indecent exposure to children at Occupy Seattle.

A female reporter was threatened by activists at Occupy Oakland.

Many more reports keep coming out. According to this article,

Fights are erupting among Occupy Wall Street protesters, so much so that one corner of Zuccotti Park has emerged where protesters say they won't go for fear of their safety, the New York Daily News is reporting.

According to this article, "Police say a man has been found dead inside his tent at a protest at a park in downtown Oklahoma City. Fellow protest participant Mark Faulk says the man was in his early 30s and was homeless."

It is time to shut down the "occupiers" from camping out. They can protest during the day. It is time for the Governors to step up and protect their states. They need to do their jobs and do what is best for their state and their constituents. According to this article, in NYC shootings have risen by 28%.

Four high-ranking cops point the finger at Occupy Wall Street protesters, saying their rallies pull special crime-fighting units away from the hot zones where they’re needed.

Police have spent more than $3 million so far dealing with OWS. Pulling those cops from their high crime areas has also resulted in a spike in violent crime.

When you look at the list of those that are involved with the protesters, it gives cause for concern. You can see the list here.

Our children as guinea pigs?

2011-10-27T13:15:00.000-04:00

Our government loves our children. Why else would they base everything they do "for the children"? Now our government has gone to far. According to this article, "The Obama administration is wrestling with the thorny question of whether scientists should inject healthy children with the anthrax vaccine to see whether the shots would safely protect them against a bioterrorism attack."

"The other option is to wait until an attack happens and then try to gather data from children whose parents agree to inoculate them in the face of an actual threat."

Even though this article, is about what is about to happen in California, history shows that what starts in California usually ends up happening all across the country. According to this article, "In a few months 12-year-olds in the nation’s most populous state can, without parental consent, get a controversial vaccine in public schools to treat a sexually transmitted disease."

"Even for ultra-liberal California this may seem astounding, that children can receive any sort of non-emergency medical treatment without the approval of a guardian. As if this weren’t atrocious enough, the costly vaccine (Gardasil)—linked to dozens of deaths and thousands of debilitating side effects— will be largely financed with taxpayer dollars."

"Worse yet is that a disturbing number of girls and young women who received Gardasil have died or suffered serious adverse effects such as paralysis, seizures and blindness since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fast tracked its approval under pressure from the pharmaceutical giant (Merck) that makes it. Just this week Judicial Watch released the latest of many daunting federal reports exposing the deaths of 26 girls who received the shot in the last year alone."

According to this article, in New York, "* Kids ages 11 and 12 sort “risk cards” to rate the safety of various activities, including “intercourse using a condom and an oil-based lubricant,’’ mutual masturbation, French kissing, oral sex and anal sex."

" Teens are referred to resources such as Columbia University’s Web site Go Ask Alice, which explores topics like “doggie-style” and other positions, “sadomasochistic sex play,” phone sex, oral sex with braces, fetishes, porn stars, vibrators and bestiality."

If that weren't bad enough, the EPA is going to deny "over-the-counter, epinephrine-based inhalers". According to this article, " low-income Americans will be denied this over-the-counter relief as of December 31."

More reasons why this country needs smaller government. Our government is completely out of control and the EPA is hurting more and more people everyday. What will happen next?

Obama's connection to Protesters

2011-10-26T15:03:00.000-04:00

It's no wonder that Obama supports the Occupy Wall Street protesters. I am sure that he is just gushing with pride. Remember, he proudly stated that he was a community organizer. Well, according to this article, (Photo proof included in article) "Obama personally helped plan one of UNO’s most confrontational actions of the eighties [in 1988]: a break-in meant to intimidate a coalition of local business and neighborhood leaders into dropping a landfill expansion deal."

Also reported in the same article' "State Sen. Barack Obama and Fr. Michael Pfleger led a protest in January 2000 against the payday loan industry demanding the State of Illinois to regulate loan businesses. (NBC 5 Week of January 3, 2000)"

It doesn't end there. Barney Frank is also involved. According to this article, "Far left Rep. Barney Frank, the author of the Dodd-Frank Bill and one of the top villains behind the mortgage crisis, supports the Occupy Wall Street movement so much that his staff helped organize the Occupy New Bedford protest on Saturday. They even planned the protest or coincide with a Frank speaking engagement in the area."

Now things are beginning to escalate. It is no wonder that this is happening in California. After all, isn't that the place where most riots begin. Question is, will this spread into other "occupations"? According to this article, "Police fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse hundreds of anti-Wall Street protesters in Oakland, near San Francisco, an AFP photographer said."

"The protesters later regrouped and started hurling eggs at the riot police, who responded by firing paint-balls at them."

Let's use some common sense here. We have the right to protests, but, rioting does nothing but cost all of us more money. We all have to pay for the extra police to attempt to maintain the civility of those who protest, but, we also have to pay for all the damange they do.

Occupy Wall Street and Terrorist

2011-10-25T12:15:00.002-04:00

When groups such as the Black Panthers, AFL - CIO, SEIU, Acorn, the Communist Party, and people like George Soros, Van Jones, and Francis Fox Pivens, to name a few throw their support behind this so-called movement it is no wonder that Bill Ayers gets involved.

According to this article, " Bill Ayers, the retired UIC professor and onetime household name, led a "teach-in" with the protesters. He detailed the tactics and history of the Civil Rights movement, drawing analogies to the group before him. "You created power where there was none," the famed agitator said."

According to this website, "In the late Sixties, Ayers became a leader of the Weather Underground (WU), a splinter faction of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Characterizing WU as “an American Red Army,” Ayers summed up the organization's ideology as follows: “Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, Kill your parents.” One of Ayers' fellow WU leaders was Bernardine Dohrn, the woman who would later become his wife."

"Ayers was an active participant in the 1969 “Days of Rage” riots in Chicago, which were led by WU's antecedent group, Weatherman. In the mayhem, nearly 300 members of the organization engaged in vandalism, arson, and vicious attacks against police and civilians alike. Their immediate objective was to spread their anti-war, anti-American message. Their long-term goal, however, was to cause the collapse of the United States and to create, in its stead, a new communist society over which they themselves would rule. With regard to those Americans who might refuse to embrace communism, Ayers and his comrades -- including Bernardine Dohrn, Mark Rudd, Linda Evans, Jeff Jones, and numerous others -- proposed that such resisters should be sent to reeducation camps and killed. The terrorists estimated that it would be necessary to eliminate some 25 million people in this fashion, so as to advance the revolution."

"All told, Ayers and the Weather Underground were responsible for 30 bombings aimed at destroying the defense and security infrastructures of the U.S. "I don't regret setting bombs," said Ayers in 2001, "I feel we didn't do enough." Contemplating whether or not he might again use bombs against the U.S. sometime in the future, he wrote: “I can’t imagine entirely dismissing the possibility.”
Now comes this article, "Hey King Andrew and friends! It's time to tax the millionaires," the email begins, presumably referring to Gov. Cuomo. The subject line on the missive is "Time to kill the wealthy."

Are we in for an all out war on wealth? From all the people and organizations that are involved with the "Occupation", it would not surprise me. The left wing radicals are coming out in full force.

Problems with Social Secuirty

2011-10-19T12:48:00.000-04:00

"Man living as an ‘adult baby’ is cleared of Social Security fraud" Read the story here. This story is just an example of why I have posted many times about us taking responsibility for ourselves. This is why we should not rely on the government for anything. I cannot understand how or why this man deserves SSI. It is just beyond comprehension.

According to the article:

John Hart, a spokesman for Mr. Coburn, said Tuesday that the senator, who is also a medical doctor, is still puzzled by how “a grown man who is able to design and build adult-sized baby furniture is eligible for disability benefits.”

And, according to this article:

Of the approximately 2.8 million death reports the Social Security Administration receives per year, about 14,000 -- or one in every 200 deaths -- are incorrectly entered into its Death Master File, which contains the Social Security numbers, names, birth dates, death dates, zip codes and last-known residences of more than 87 million deceased Americans. That averages out to 38 life-altering mistakes a day.

This is what happens when the government gets involved and we allow the government to "take care of us". This is why we have a crisis with Social Security. This is why we need to be involved in what our government is doing. This is the reason we need smaller government. With smaller government WE can control what is happening with OUR tax dollars. And this is the reason we must take responsibility for ourselves and our families.

Redistrubition of Wealth and a run on banks

2011-10-18T13:06:00.000-04:00

Welcome to "Redistribution of Wealth". The wall street protesters and Obama now have first hand experience on redistribution of wealth.

According to wikipedia:

Redistribution of wealth is the transfer of income, wealth or property from some individuals to others caused by a social mechanism such as taxation, monetary policies, welfare, nationalization, charity, divorce or tort law.^[1] Most often it refers to progressive redistribution, from the rich to the poor, although it may also refer to regressive redistribution, from the poor to the rich.

According to dictionary.com: Theft is defined as:

the act of stealing; the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal goods or property of another; larceny.

I don't see much difference here. Redistribution of wealth is taking from the rich and giving to the poor. While theft is someone poor taking from those more fortunate. According to this article:

A truck filled with President Obama's podiums and audio equipment was stolen in Henrico just days before his visit to Chesterfield.

According to this article:

Occupy Wall Street protesters said yesterday that packs of brazen crooks within their ranks have been robbing their fellow demonstrators blind, making off with pricey cameras, phones and laptops — and even a hefty bundle of donated cash and food.

Now, not only are the protesters calling for a run on banks, but, so are the politicians. Makes me wonder if the politicians are hoping for another bank bailout.

According to this article:

In an effort to send a message to big banks, some organizers, who are supported by the protestors of the Occupy Wall Street movement, have organized an event to remove all funds from banks and into credit unions.

The date planned for this event is November 5, 2011.

According to this article:

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) doubled down on his anti-Wall Street rhetoric over the weekend, encouraging protesters to withdraw money from the major banks and calling the financial industry “the most powerful, dangerous and secretive” institution in the United States.

I agree, if you feel like your bank isn't working the way you like it to and you find another bank that is better, then switch banks. That is your right and another one of the great things about this country. We still have some control here on decision making. How much longer we will be able to enjoy our right to choose is a question I cannot answer.

Wall Street protesters against greed

2011-10-16T16:16:00.000-04:00

If you watch and listen to the protesters on Wall Street and now all across the country, one of their main complaints is how the rich are greedy. I find that to be hypocritical. Aren't we all a little greedy? Some more than others though.

Look at it this way. We work, earn money and go out and buy things. The more we buy the more we want. When the latest gadget comes out, don't we want to go out and buy it whether we need it or not? That is greed.

Definition of GREED

: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (as money) than is needed

Many have made their fortunes by playing the stock market. Well, so can the rest of us. We can only achieve that by educating ourselves on how the stock market works and what are good investments. Of course, you have to have money to invest in the stock market. The best way to do that is work and save some money.

Unlike this person, we can be smarter.

Yes, it would be nice to have all the newest gadgets, but, ask yourself... do you really need it, or would you prefer to save your money and invest wisely? We have the same opportunity as those who invest and make money via the stock market. There are other opportunities to make money just like those "greedy" politicians, investors, and corporations. Just learn how and do it. That is what makes this country great.

If you think your politician is getting to "greedy"...vote them out!

Politicians love of Solar Power

2011-10-14T17:59:00.000-04:00

After reading and hearing about Solyndra's going bankrupt after receiving a government loan, it got me to thinking. Are there others, and if so how many? Is Solar power as good as they say?

Let's take a look. According to this article, "Republican lawmakers on two House committees are seeking details about the loans given to First Solar, SunPower Corp. and ProLogis. Of those three companies, troubling financial revelations have emerged about SunPower, which sponsored a solar project that received a $1.2 billion loan, more than twice the money approved for Solyndra, which filed for bankruptcy last month after receiving a $528 million loan."

"The company is also politically connected. Rep. George Miller's son is SunPower's top lobbyist. The elder Miller, a powerful California Democrat, toured the plant last October with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and reportedly said, "We've worked hard to make renewable energy a priority because it represents America's future economic growth."

According to this article, "The deals announced Friday include a $1.5 billion loan guarantee to Florida-based NextEra Energy and other investors that bought a planned 550-megawatt solar farm on federal land in Southern California from First Solar, as well as $646 million to Illinois-based Exelon Corp. for a 230-megawatt solar plant near Los Angeles. Next Era Energy Resources and GE Energy Financial Services bought the Desert Sunlight project from First Solar, while Exelon bought the Antelope Valley project. First Solar will continue to build and operate both projects.

A third project, worth $1.2 billion, will help San Jose-based SunPower Corp. build a 250-megawatt solar plant in California, while $1.4 billion will go San Francisco-based Prologis Inc. to support installation of about 750 solar rooftop panels in 28 states."

According to this article, "President Obama's nominee for Commerce secretary served as chairman of the board of a solar energy company that recently received a $1.37 billion federal loan guarantee – the largest the Department of Energy has ever given for a solar power project."

"Now that company, BrightSource Energy, is attempting to build the world's largest solar power plant amid concerns such ventures may be too risky an investment for the federal government."

In this article, "The Obama Administration is giving $737 million to a Tonopah Solar, a subsidiary of California-based SolarReserve. PCG is an investment partner with SolarReserve. Nancy Pelosi’s brother-in-law happens to be the number two man at PCG."

For as long as I can remember, Solar Power was suppose to be the best thing since sliced bread. How good is it? Is putting solar panels on your house all there is to it? Could it be that easy? Well, if you look into it the answer is no. There are many things like special batteries, an inverter, and a place to store those batteries, among other things. This is not cheap.

I ran across this article, "In Italy last year, "they discovered that after one year in the field, over 90% of the (solar panels) from a one megawatt project began to delaminate and ended up on the ground."

That pretty much answered my question. After all the years of trying to get us to purchase Solar Power, I can't help but think that if it were such a great thing for us, why isn't it more popular? Well, I have my answer now. It's no wonder the politicians like Solar Power. Pay back to family and friends.

Apologist in Chief

2011-10-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

I think it is absolutely the most insulting thing a "President" can do, is to apologize for things the American people feel we need not apologize for and insult the American citizen. How many times is Obama going to apologize to other countries and cultures on our behalf.

In this article, "The U.S. State Department made a phone call to the family of Al Qaeda propagandist Samir Khan to offer the government's condolences on his death during a U.S. drone strike in Yemen, a department spokesman confirms."

Hello Mr. President, Samir Khan was a member of Al Qaeda, who wants to KILL us. Yes, he was an American Nationalized Citizen, but, he chose to go against America and chose the side of those who want us dead.

In this article, "Leaked cables show Japan nixed a presidential apology to Hiroshima and Nagasaki for using nukes to end the overseas contingency operation known as World War II."

This article lists the top 10 apologies Obama has made:

1. Apology to Europe: Speech in Strasbourg, France, April 3.

2. Apology to the Muslim world: Interview with Al Arabiya, January 27

3. Apology to the Summit of the Americas: Address to the Summit of the Americas, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, April 17.

4. Apology at the G-20 Summit of World Leaders: News conference in London, April 2

5. Apology for the War on Terror: Speech in Washington, D.C., May 21

6. Apology for Guantanamo in France: Speech in Strasbourg, France, April 3.

7. Apology for America before the Turkish Parliament: Speech to the Turkish Parliament, Ankara, Turkey, April 6.

8. Apology for U.S. Policy toward the Americas: Editorial “Choosing a Better Future in the Americas,” April 16

9. Apology for the Mistakes of the CIA: Remarks to CIA employees at Langley, Va., April 29.

10. Apology for Guantanamo: Speech in Washington, D.C., May 21

I have a question for Obama. When are you going to apologize to the American people? If Obama feels the need to apologize, I think he should start here at home. The American people are suffering, but, that seems to be exactly what he wants. Mr. Obama, you are not God. No one is perfect, even you Mr. Obama. You owe US an apology for allowing this country to continue and escalate the problems Americans face today. If you wanted us to have jobs and save our country, then get to the White House and do your job. That is what we are paying you to do, not campaign all the time.

Mountain Insights

What is wrong?

Revelations

My idea of a stimulus package

More control

Presidential Candidates

"Occupiers" out of control?

The future of our children

What will tomorrow bring

Did you know?

Political Corruption

Christianity vs Islam

Protecting our children

Unions right or wrong for the U.S.

One lies, one tells the truth

The price for Occupy Wall Street

Al Gore's wish comes true with protesters

Rapes, Robberies, even Murder at Occupy Wall Street?

Our children as guinea pigs?

Obama's connection to Protesters

Occupy Wall Street and Terrorist

Problems with Social Secuirty

Redistrubition of Wealth and a run on banks

Wall Street protesters against greed

Definition of GREED

Politicians love of Solar Power

Apologist in Chief